Control head



May 2 8; 1935. V w, KlNG 2,002,539

CONTROL HEAD Filed July 11, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet l WALTER Emma TOR.

BY em; sew

ATTORNEYS.

'- W. E. KING CONTROL HEAD May 28, 1935.

Filed July 11, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet WALTER EKING YBY A TTORXEYS.

Patented May 28, 1935 I Q i UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE .Walter E. King, Houston, Tex, alignmto Reuben L. Waxler and Jess Hardoaafle, Houston, Tex.

Application July 11, 1932, Serial No. 021,874

8 Claims. (01. 166-15) The invention relates to an improvement in connection with the well head assembly. In control heads of the general type used in con-. connection with the presentinvention, a casing nection with oil and gas wells wherein considhead has been illustrated at 2. This head is erable pressure is encountered during the drillshown as threaded at 8 to receive the casing, or

ing and operation of the well. it may be provided with a flanged construction 6 It is one of the objects of the invention to for attachment in a well known manner. This provide an improvement in control heads wherebody 2 is adapted to support the remaining fitin the tubing may be landed in the well and tings on the well and particularly a housing 5 supported in the head in such a manner that for a blowout preventer, the novel features of the remainder of the control head may then which are about to be described. The housing 10 be removed and the well completed with any 5 is shown as attached to the flange 6 by means desired type of fittings. of the bolts 1. A suitable packing ring 8 is pro- Another object of the invention is to provide vided to insure a seal about the body and a, control head having a, packing member upon it should be particularly noted that the body 2 which the tubing is adapted to be supported and s an upstanding fla g ll, which fits within 15 wherein the remainder of the head exclusive of th p ng II n the y n i mann r t packing member may be moved e d the body 5 is centered and properly positioned ently of the packing member. with respect to the casing head 2, and when at- 'Another object of the invention is to provide tached w be n Droperposition and rigidly 29 a control head having a detachable packing fi delement upon which the tubing is adapted to The body! is provided with a tapered seat be suspende or socket l4, which is usual construction with Another object of the invention is to provide Such casing heads and this tapered seat is adapta drilling head through which the drilling opered to receive a set of slips for supporting the ation may be performed, but which is provided tubing drill S em 01 it may be used for re- 25 with a sealing member which can be detached ceiving the packing elements l5, which are while in sealing position. shown as being positioned in the bowl in Fig. 1.

Other and further objects of the inventionwill The elements l5, two of which are here illusbe readily apparent when the following descriptrated, form a complete circle to seal about a tion is considered in connection with the accom- P p Pass ng to e W ll a d W th t e cas g 30 panying drawings wherein head. To accomplish this, the seal rings 5 and Fig. 1 is a central vertical section of a drilling I! are provided on the inside and outside reor control head embodying the invention and Spectively o eac p n element. The two showing the parts in sealing position. elements are seen in perspective view in Fig. 4

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of one of the guide and in front elevation in Fig. 3. 35 plates used in connection with the control head. The housing 5 is arranged to pp t p at- Fig. 3 is a central vertical section taken at ingmechanisms for positioning and withdrawing right angles to the section of Fig. 1 and showthe packing elements l5 so that pipe and other ing the end construction of the operating parts Pieces Of equipment may be p d through t of th b m blowout preventer into the-well and withdrawn 40 Fig. 4 is an expanded view of the carrier and from the well during the drilling or surfacing packing member used in connection with the operations. With this in mind the body 5 is invention and showing the manner in which they provided with a cap 20, which is attached theremay be assembled and disassembled to leave the to by the bolts 2| and which serves as a bearpacking member in sealing position when the reing for the operating spindle 22. This spindle 45 mainder of the head is removed. I is anchored against longitudinal movement by The present invention is directed to somewhat bearing against the gland 23, which packs about the same subject matter asthe patent to Reuben the stem in the end 24 of the housing 5 and L. Waxler, No. 1,912,809 granted June 6, 1933, by a thrust bearing 26, which is positioned befor an Improvement in blowout preventer. tween the flange 21 on the spindle and the cap 50 It is usual construction in wells to have what Zll. In this manner the spindle 22 is mounted is termed the surface casing, which is anchored for rotation in the end of the housing and a firmly in the earth. This casing extends uppacking ring 28 is provided to seal about the wardly and is arranged to support the casing spindle in the end of the housing and a similar head, tubing head, and other fittings used in packing 2! is positioned in the cap 20. Thus 55 a complete seal ismaintained about the spindle in the end of the housing.

Thisspindle 22 is threaded as at 38 and is passed into a yoke 3| so that rotation of the which slot. has a horizontal portion 34, best seen in Fig. 1 and an inclined portion 35 which is in turn joined to a second inclined portion 36. This slot 33 serves as a guideway to control the raising and lowering of thesupport or head 31, which carries the packing elements |5. This head 31 is provided on each side with an extending trunnion 38, which is of such size that it will fit within the slot 33. As seen in Figs. 1 and 3, the trunnions 38 are in their lowermost position, at which time the packing elements l5 are seated in the bowl |4. When, however, the spindle 22 is rotated and the yoke 3| moved to the right as viewed in Fig. 1, then the trunnions 38 will be caused to move in the slot 33! so that the head or support ring 31 will be raised vertically to withdraw the packing elements |5 from their seating or sealing position.

It seems obvious that the trunnions 38, however, must be held against lateral movement in order to prevent them from traveling with the yoke 3|. To accomplish this, the guide plates 48 are provided and one of these is positioned on each side of the passage 32 and within the side portions 4| of the yoke 3|. These side portions 4| are provided with grooves or trackways 42, which receive complementary formed edges 43 on the plates 48. The plates 48 are attached to a support ring 44 by means of the bolts 46, and this ring is in turn attached to the end 45 of the housing 5 by means of the bolts 41.

In this manner the plates 48 are rigidly secured in position and extend horizontally into the housing 5. The yoke 3| is slipped over the plates so that the edges 4| thereof will slide upon the portions 43 of the plate as a trackway. The plates 48 are each provided intermediate their ends with a vertical opening and guideway 58. This guideway is of suflicient width to receive the trimnions 38 and maintain them against lateral movement. Thus when the yoke 3| is moved to the right, as seen in Fig. 1, the trunnions 38 will be guided vertically by the guideways 58 and caused to move in the guideways 58 by the curvature or inclination of the slots 33. As seen in Fig. 3, the trunnions 38 pass through the plates 48 as well as the side members 4| of the yoke. The upper portion of the guideway 58 is preferably inclined as at 5| to assist in the assembly and removal of the parts.

The head 31 is provided with a central opening 53, which is of at least the same size as the passage 32 through the housing 5, and the casing head 2. The only movement of this head 31 is the vertical movement imparted to it by the trunnions 38. This head is, however, intended to support the sealing elements and is provided with a runway 54, which is in the form of an extending rib or shoulder on the lower part of the head. This shoulder is best seen in Fig. 3 andis arranged to receive the carriers 56, two of which are provided, and which are best seen in perspective in Fig. 4. These carriers serve as the connection between the sealing elements l5 and the head 31. They are arranged for vertical movement with the head 31 but are slidable laterally upon the head by means of the runways 54.

Q Each of the carriers 56 is provided with an overhanging shoulder 51 above the .groove 58, which groove and shoulder together form the complementary portion on the carrier which meshes with the runway 54 on the head. Each of the carriers 56 is provided with a. trunnion pin 68 on the outside edge thereof. These trunnion pins are arranged for movement in the guide slots 6|, which are formed on the inside surface of the plates 48. These guideways comprise an inclined portion 62 and a substantially vertical portion 63, the vertical portion being provided to guide the carriers 56 vertically during the first part of their movement upwardly and the inclined portion 62 is arranged to cause upper and lateral movement of the carriers to withdraw the sealing members from the passage 32 so that tools and equipment of substantially the diameter of the passage 32 may be passed through the blowout preventer.

It should be remembered that the trunnions 38 cause vertical movement of the head so that the trunnion pins 68 will move upwardly in the vertical slot 63. When, however, the head 31. has moved to an elevation where the pins 68 are to pass from the vertical portion 63 and into the inclined slot 62, the carriers then begin a lateral or separating movement, one carrier moving to each side of the central passage. The vertical portion 63 of the slot maintains the packing elements |5 in proper alignment until they have been raised clear of the bowl |4. whereupon, they are moved laterally in the housing 5 so that they will not interfere with any operations which are being carried on through the blowout preventer.

With the guideways 58 and 6| the positive control of the movement of the packing elements I5 is assured, so that they can not be misplaced by engagement with other parts of the blowout preventer or equipment passing through the wellhead. The size of each of these slots limits the movement of the parts and insures positive control at all times.

One of the principal features of the present invention is the construction of the parts so that the packing or sealing elements |5 may be positioned in the bowl l4 and the remainder of the blowout preventer removed. This includes the removal of the housing 5 and all of its associated parts, leaving only the packing elements l5 positioned in the bowl |4. Such a construction has been found to be desirable in landing tubing when the well is being brought in and in event of difficulties in connection with other portions of the well head or drilling equipment.

In order to permit the separation of the blowout preventer and its sealing members a special construction has been provided which is best seen in Fig. 4, wherein the carriers 56 are constructed with the cutout slots or recesses 18.

These recesses extend transversely of the car-' riers 56 on the underside thereof and are arranged to receive the lugs or bosses 1|, which are formed on the upper part of the sealing members l5. These lugs 1| are of such width that they fit within the recesses 18 when the parts are assembled as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Fig. 4 shows the parts expanded to illustrate the manner of their assembly. The carriers 56 are provided with the openings 13 throughshows the parts in this position, as does Fig. 3.,

The through bolt 15 serves to hold the packing elements to the carriers 56. The inner end' of the passage 13 inthe'righthand sideof Fig. 4 in the righthand carrier 56 is threaded as at H to receive the threaded end 18 of the through bolt 15. When. 'the'parts' are assembled the through bolt is passed through the parts and rotated so that the part I8 screws into the threads- These threads are preferably a lefthand I1. thread. When the parts are assembled the blowout preventer is positioned on the well and is used in sealing about the pipe or tubing used in the well as desired. In event, however, itis necessary to remove the blowout preventer for any reason whatever the present construction is adapted to be separated to leavethe sealing elements in the casing head by, removing the through bolts 15. Fig. 1 shows a socketwrench or tool 80, which is arranged to be passed through an opening 8| in the end or cap 82 of the housing 5. a

This socket wrench is arranged for connection to the end 83 of the through bolt 15. The thread in the socket wrench and on thebolt will be opposite from that on the end 78, so that when the socket wrench is screwed up tightly on the bolt it will then begin to unscrew the end 18 from the threads 11 in the carrier 56. It is contemplated that in this manner the throughbolts 15 can be removed from their position in the passages 13. The removal of these .bolts removes the connection between the carriers 56 and the packing or' sealing elements so that they are entirely separate from each other.

It is contemplated that at the time the blowout preventer is to be removed that the packing elements I 5 will be held in position by a coupling on the string of pipe which is being positioned in the well. Fig. '3 shows in dotted lines a string of pipe 85, which has a coupling 86 thereon. The lower shoulder 81 of this coupling rests upon the upper surface 88 of the packing elements I5. The weight of this string of pipe 86-holds the packing elements firmly in position and when the. through bolts 15 have,

been removed an elevator or hoist may be connected to the blowout preventer housing 5 and upon removal of the bolts 1, the entire blowout preventer may be removed from the well while the same is sealed in between the packing elements l5. As soon as the blowout preventer has been removed a suitable tubing head or control head may be attached or the standard type Christmas tree fittings may be assembled and placed in position.

In some instances it is desirable to replace the packing elements I5 without removing the blowout preventer from the well head and in such cases the cap or end 82 of the housing may ,be removed and the spindle 22 rotated so that the trunnions 38 will be raised to their uppermost position. With the parts thus arranged the head 31 may be tilted from its normal position because of the inclined faces 5| on the slot 50. When the head 31 is in its highest position the lugs or trunnion pin 60 will be at the outer ends of the slots 6|, so that tilting of the head 31 will cause the pin to move upwardly beyond the end 98. Thus if the carriers and packing elements are to be removed the head will be raised and the lefthand side of the head, as viewed in Fig. 1, will be tilted downwardly so that the righthand side will move up and the pin 60 move beyond the tip 90 of the slot. With the parts in this position the carriers 56 may be moved to the left by sliding them upon the runways 54, it being understood that the trunnion pin 60 on the left hand carrier 56 will, of course, slide out of the slot 6| on the left .hand side, as seen in Fig. 1. The thickened portions of the passage walls 50 in the guide plates 48 terminate as at 9| so that the trunnion pins may move along the plate as the carriers and packing elements are being withdrawn. When the carriers have been withdrawn the through bolts may be removed and the packing elements repaired or replaced and the parts in-. serted by reversing the operations described.

With the present construction it is contemplated that the usual gate valve may be mounted above the body 2 in the assembly so that when the tubing is landed there will be a complete seal between the tubing and the casing. It is usual to either plug the tubing when the same is being run in, or to provide a back pressure valve in the tubing. In either instance, it is usual to have the tubing closed so that with the present construction, when the casing is -modifications, alterations and revisions without departing from the spirit of the invention as set forth in the appended claims, because the invention contemplates broadly a blowout preventer wherein the body or housing may be removed while the packing elements are in sealing position.

Having described my invention, what I claim is:

1. A blowout preventer to be mounted on a casing head including a housing, a pair of sealing elements therein to seal about a pipe and within the casing head, means to operate said elements from sealing to non-sealing position, and means to detach said elements from said blowout preventer whereby a seal may be maintained by said elements about the pipe while said blowout preventer housing is removed.

2. In a blowout preventer, sealing means for a pipe passing therethrough, operative means to actuate said sealing means, and detachable means connecting said sealing means to said operative means whereby the blowout preventer may be removed while said sealing means remains in operative position.

3. In a blowout preventer a pair of sealing members, a carrier for each member, means to move said carriers, and a detachable connection between each carrier and its sealing member whereby the sealing membermay remain in pipe sealing position and said blowout preventer be removed.

4. In a blowout preventer including a housing. a pair or sealing members therein, a carrier for each member, means to move said carriers, and a-detachable connection between each carrier and its sealing member whereby the sealing member may remain in pipe sealing position and said blowout preventer be removed, said connection including a throughbolt.

5. A casing head bowl, a blowout preveuter detachably mounted thereon, a sealing means detachably carried by said blowout preventer, and means to detach said sealing means so that said blowout preventer may be detached from said sealing means when said sealing means is disposed in said bowl.

6. A drilling head 0! the character described including a sealing element to close about a pipe in the well, a casing head support for said drilling head adapted to receive said sealing element,

means in said drilling head to move said sealing element in and out of sealing position, and means whereby said drilling head may be removed independently oi. said sealing element.

7. A drilling head including a housing, a sealing element, means to move said element diagonally in said housing, a casing head to receive' said sealing element and in which said element is adapted to be held by the weight of a string of pipe in the casing, and means in said housing to release said element so that said drilling head may be removed while said sealing element is in said casing head.

8. A blowout preventer mounted on a casing head having a bowl, said preventer including a sealing portion, means to move said portion diagonally, and means whereby said preventer and said first means may be detached and removed from said sealing portion after said portion has been moved into said casing head bowl.

wAL'rER E. KING. 

